Stateside with Kai and Carter

Timothy Snyder says Trump is weak. Can Democrats take advantage? Oct 13, 2026 41:45 As the midterms approach, Donald Trump is continuing to make strongman moves: banning reporters from the White House; trying to remake Washington DC’s architecture in his name; putting "Dear leader"-style videos on television. But historian Timothy Snyder tells Kai Wright that what this really is, is a sign of weakness. And even as the Democrats seemed poised to win the midterms, Snyder

Could Trump’s plan to suppress voters backfire in the south? Oct 8, 2026 13:27 The biggest question in US politics may be whether Democrats can ever win in the south. In this year’s midterms, Georgia has once again emerged as a bellwether. The state has shifted from deep red to purple for the last several election cycles and remains a frontline state in the battle over voting rights. In a recent Stateside with Kai and Carter live event in collaboration On Air Presents, hosts

Cornell’s Jane Doe wants justice. Why is that so hard to get? Oct 7, 2026 40:22 The internet is on fire with demands for justice for Jane Doe, the anonymous woman who alleges she was gang-raped at a Cornell fraternity house in 2024. Doe has filed a civil lawsuit, and law enforcement has reopened her case – but did Cornell fumble its Title IX investigation into her case? Title IX is a federal civil rights law that is supposed to protect against sexual discrimination in schools

A nurse was attacked by ICE agents on camera. Now she wants justice Oct 6, 2026 38:15 Earlier this year, the ACLU filed more than 50 legal claims across 17 states on behalf of people harmed by federal immigration agents. One of them is Norma Bowe. Norma is a nurse and grandmother who was working at her mobile medical clinic outside the Delaney Hall immigration center when protests broke out there in May. An ICE officer flung her to the ground while she was still wearing her stethos

Mahmoud Khalil is ready to talk About ICE detention Oct 1, 2026 43:35 After more than a year of legal limbo, Mahmoud Khalil is preparing to ask the US supreme court to hear his deportation case – and if they take it up, the outcome could have sweeping ramifications for political speech in the US. When Khalil was detained by ICE for his role in student protests at Columbia University, it was widely understood as a test case. Khalil was a legal permanent resident with

Why is Israel so afraid of the film NAZA? We spoke to its directors Sep 29, 2026 47:53 When the documentary NAZA premiered at the Venice international film festival earlier this month, it sent shockwaves across the globe. Composed of interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers, NAZA is a haunting exposé of the tools that the Israeli military uses to carry out the remote killing of Palestinians in Gaza – including AI, mass surveillance, and devastating air

Has Netanyahu lost America? Sep 24, 2026 28:22 Benjamin Netanyahu lands in New York today to speak at the UN general assembly. This visit marks the Israeli prime minister's first time in the city since Mayor Zohran Mamdani vowed to arrest him for war crimes – and it's happening as support for Israel among US voters is taking an unprecedented plunge. Sixty percent of Americans now have an unfavorable view of Israel. (In 2022, only 42% o

John Green wanted to be famous. Now what? Sep 22, 2026 47:49 John Green is probably as famous as an author can get. His 2012 young adult novel The Fault In Our Stars sold more than 20m copies, got adapted into a Hollywood hit film, and catapulted to a level of success that he’d always longed for. And yet, all that left him feeling empty. Now, after nearly a decade away from fiction, Green is back with his first novel for adults, Hollywood, Ending. In a very

Are we living in the End Times? With Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor Sep 17, 2026 41:09 In a new book, writers Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor have created a term to define the era we are living in: End Times Fascism. A response to the climate crisis, the rise of the far-right and advancing AI technology, they spell out how the damage being wrought by the super-rich is becoming normalized. Klein and Taylor join Carter Sherman to talk about the recent events that have made us all feel li

Why the real AI apocalypse is already here Sep 15, 2026 17:19 A former Anthropic researcher’s apocalyptic declaration about artificial intelligence has led to a global panic that the technology might be the end of us all. At an event in Washington today to warn about the dangers of AI, US senator Bernie Sanders said that Congress has been ‘asleep at the wheel'. Oddly, Steve Bannon appeared at the same event. But is this response a distraction from the more i

Taylor Lorenz on the global effort to ban kids from social media Sep 15, 2026 37:09 What are we going to do about kids and social media? Lawsuit after lawsuit has accused the biggest social media platforms in the US of designing their products to be addictive and of endangering children. Meta recently settled one of those lawsuits, agreeing to pay up to $17.1bn in penalties and to limit how kids use its platforms, like Instagram and Facebook. (They did not admit to any wrongdoing

Charlie Kirk became a martyr. Then the conspiracy theories started Sep 10, 2026 42:47 Charlie Kirk's death created a vacuum of power that still consumes the Maga right a year later. Immediately after Kirk was shot and killed, his ultraconservative activist organization Turning Point USA announced that his widow, Erika Kirk, would replace her late husband as CEO. But as Guardian reporter J Oliver Conroy tells Kai Wright, conspiracy theories pushed by Kirk's former allies and protege

25 years after 9/11, is Islamophobia in the US at an all-time high? Sep 8, 2026 39:20 In the hours after the 9/11 attacks, the journalist Rozina Ali remembers her parents telling her that as Muslims, they would now be under suspicion. It took years for Ali to understand what they meant. She talks to Carter Sherman about this journey and how it led her to write about the history of Islamophobia in the US. Ali explores how attacks on Muslims by successive administrations si

Summer break! Aug 24, 2026 1:45 Stateside with Kai and Carter is taking a short end of summer break.We'll be back with new episodes after Labor Day.Make sure to catch previous episodes on YouTube, Apple, or Spotify. See you soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lindsay Clancy killed her children. Here's why so many women still support her. Aug 21, 2026 33:51 The trial of Lindsay Clancy, a former nurse accused of murdering her three children, is wrapping up its fifth week. On Friday morning, the defense rested, and the public attention to the case is at a fever-pitch — especially on social media. Clancy, 36, does not deny that she strangled her children, but has pleaded not guilty due to lack of criminal responsibility, also known as an insanity defens

Seeing Gaza through the eyes of a trauma surgeon Aug 19, 2026 39:07 Ten months into a ceasefire in Gaza, Israel and Hamas seem like they are no closer to a real end to the war. Israel reportedly says they will carry on with their military operation until Hamas fully disarms. Hamas has said they will not begin disarming until Israel begins withdrawing. At the center of it all are Gazans living without the basic infrastructure of electricity, water sanitation and hy

Why Nolan Wells’ death made Black parents say the quiet part out loud Aug 17, 2026 41:34 When 18-year-old Nolan Wells went missing, his story immediately touched a nerve in Black families. He was last seen while hanging out with a group of white friends, at a popular beach near Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Nolan never came home from the trip, and he was found dead days later. Many questions about how he died remain unanswered publicly. And the mystery surrounding his death has revived

Why does everything feel meh? We're in the era of joyless decadence Aug 14, 2026 36:42 We should, in theory, be happy. Thanks to our phones, we can do practically anything – listen to our favorite bands' entire discographies, have extravagant meals delivered to our door, travel the world through an endless scroll. So why do so many of these experiences feel so joyless? Why do so many of us feel so empty all the time? Hosts Kai Wright and Carter Sherman wrestle with these questions w

The doctor who helps put prisoners to death Aug 12, 2026 43:21 On 13 August, three states are set to carry out executions by lethal injection. It’s the first time since 2010 that three people will be put to death on the same day in the US. In Tennessee, the execution of Darrell Hines is in the spotlight, because the last lethal injection in the state was botched. Ed Pilkington speaks to Kai Wright about the doctor at the center of that botched execution, whos

Rebecca Solnit on Andrew Tate and Trump’s misogyny Aug 10, 2026 42:49 Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan may soon be extradited back to the UK – but the manosphere influencers' case will have lasting consequences in the US, where the Tates reportedly maintained multiple ties to the Trump administration. (The Tates have been charged with rape, trafficking and numerous other crimes, but deny all criminal wrongdoing.) Host Carter Sherman talks with author and Guardian

Who are the Trump allies running Latin America? Aug 7, 2026 40:09 An outspoken conservative endorsed by Donald Trump was sworn into office as Colombia’s new president on Friday. Abelardo de la Espriella is the seventh rightwing politician to take office in Latin America since the start of Trump’s second term. Kai Wright speaks to former US ambassador to Panama John Feeley about why the region is moving rightwards, and how it is boosting Trump’s foreign policy ob

Inside the vigilante movement destroying Flock cameras Aug 5, 2026 38:57 There are more than 120,000 Flock surveillance cameras in 6,000 communities across the US. These ALPRs (automatic license plate readers) are largely used by law enforcement, and have come under criticism from privacy campaigners, who say they are being used to surveil private citizens and target immigrants. Flock says their cameras are integral to public safety, but critics fear that the company i

Mamdani won New York. But can a progressive win the Michigan primary? Aug 3, 2026 34:32 Democrats are pissed off – and they're taking their anger straight to the ballot box. In the wake of Donald Trump's return to the White House, progressives (including members of DSA – Democratic Socialists of America) have defeated established moderates in elections in liberal cities like New York, Washington DC and Seattle. Now, they're trying to win a series of major primaries in the deep-purple

Will the US midterm elections be free and fair? Jul 31, 2026 40:08 With Republicans' chances in the midterms looking shaky, Donald Trump is increasingly trying to rewrite the rules that govern US elections. Voting rights groups say he's really laying the groundwork to suppress voters. Trump has already moved to change mail-in voting, but he now wants Congress to pass the Save America Act, which includes strict voter ID restrictions. He's also accused China of int

Is Iran a ‘forever war’? Jul 29, 2026 32:59 After a lull in fighting, airstrikes between the US and Iran resumed Wednesday, killing at least 20 members of Iraq’s popular mobilization force. The conflict between the US and Iran has now entered its fifth month, with no obvious conclusion in sight. Analysts have warned that the latest escalations are pushing the Middle East region into "unchartered territory". Carter Sherman is joined by the G

How Trump made it harder to fight the cyclospora parasite outbreak Jul 27, 2026 33:29 A parasite called cyclospora has sickened thousands of people across at least 41 states and prompted waves of headlines about weeks-long "explosive diarrhea". But as Guardian health contributor and reporter Melody Schreiber tells host Carter Sherman, Donald Trump's cuts to the CDC and FDA have kneecapped the agencies' ability to contain the dangerous outbreak – which is now growing rapidly. Melody

She spent years trying to be thin. What happened when she bulked instead? Jul 24, 2026 37:46 After years of trying to be skinny, Guardian reporter Madeleine Aggeler did a 180 and decided to 'bulk'. Bulking, or gaining weight on purpose to get stronger, challenged everything she had been taught about her body, and transformed her relationship to food. Madeleine speaks to Carter Sherman about her owns body image struggles, and they discuss why strength training and weightlifting has become

Gaza. Mitch McConnell. Is Congress finally being forced to change? Jul 22, 2026 42:25 Earlier this year, Congress reached a depressing milestone: 86% of Americans, a record high, disapproved of its job performance. But this summer, there have been some signs that shifts are underway. On the left, House Democrats have just voted in unprecedented numbers to withhold military aid from Israel, and across the country, progressive candidates are running competitive primary campaigns that

Mary Beard on The Odyssey, Trump's America and how empires fall Jul 20, 2026 48:43 Christopher Nolan’s new adaption of The Odyssey is an absolute monster of a hit, grossing $264m in its opening weekend. But celebrated classicist Mary Beard tells host Carter Sherman that while Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem comes with plenty of action-packed battle scenes, the film is missing the original's "elusive sexiness" – and its approach to women left her disappointe

Who won the World Cup? Jul 17, 2026 51:57 The 2026 World Cup final has not happened yet, but we already know that there were some clear winners (and total losers) during the tournament. And we’re not just talking about what happened on the pitch. Ahead of Sunday’s game, host Carter Sherman speaks with Max Rushden – host of the Guardian’s Football Weekly podcast – about Argentina’s win over England in the semi-finals, why Lionel Messi is p

How ICE became so deadly Jul 15, 2026 43:26 Over the past ten days, ICE officials have killed two immigrants in separate shootings in Texas and Maine. While the Department of Homeland Security has claimed that the officers were acting in self-defense and the interest of public safety, no evidence has emerged to support those accounts, and outrage is mounting over these latest examples of violence from the agency. Kai Wright speaks with Guar

The western US is running out of water. What happens next? Jul 13, 2026 40:53 Thanks to pollution, overpopulation and the climate crisis, Earth is facing a terrifying new crisis: an irreversible "water bankruptcy". Now, fights over water have ramped up across the world, including in the US west. Host Carter Sherman speaks with Guardian extreme weather correspondent Gabrielle Canon about the battle over the future of the Colorado River Basin, whose water sustains some 40 mil

Why Graham Platner wasn’t the answer to the Democrats’ men problem Jul 10, 2026 43:44 Earlier this week, Graham Platner, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine, was accused by a former partner of sexual assault. Platner denies the allegations, but on Wednesday, he suspended his campaign, accusing the “political establishment” of tanking his candidacy. But this is only the most recent scandal to have surfaced around Platner’s campaign — over the past year, the oyster farmer an

'Gratuitously cruel': Chase Strangio on how trans youth became political targets Jul 8, 2026 38:50 Last week, the US supreme court ruled that Idaho and West Virginia can continue enforcing their bans on transgender athletes playing on girls’ and women's teams in schools. It’s the latest development in the political and legal attack on trans people —and especially trans youth— that has surged in recent years. On the heels of that decision, Kai Wright talks with Guardian reporter Sam Levin, who h

The shadowy movement behind ‘Trump accounts’ Jul 6, 2026 45:22 On the Fourth of July, the Trump administration's new savings accounts for children went live. These ‘Trump accounts’, created as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, are ostensibly supposed to help families pay for college and other expenses. But Guardian columnist Moira Donegan says these accounts are really the work of the pronatalist movement, which wants women to have as many babies as pos

Term limits? Court packing? Elie Mystal on why it’s time to reform SCOTUS Jul 1, 2026 40:06 This term, the US supreme court handed down decisions on issues ranging from voting rights to immigration and birthright citizenship, reshaping life for millions of people. Kai Wright speaks with Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation, about how the court got all its power in the first place, and why Mystal thinks court reforms to rein in that power aren’t just constitutional — they’re

450 years in jail: the leftist activists convicted of terrorism Jun 29, 2026 36:58 After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the Trump administration vowed to prosecute "antifa" activists for domestic terrorism. Now, it's made good on that threat. A group of activists who joined an anti-ICE protest that went dangerously awry have been sentenced to decades in prison, and the case could have enormous consequences for the future of the First Amendment and American protests. Carter S

Taylor Swift’s girlhood era is ending. Where does she go next? Jun 26, 2026 31:11 Over the past two decades, Taylor Swift has changed the music industry, and how we think about girlhood. From songs like Fifteen about first love and heartbreak to introspective tracks like Mirrorball from Folklore, Swift has chronicled the emotional lives of young women in a way few artists have. Her music says that the experiences of girlhood deserve to be immortalized. But as fans celebrate her

Has the American project failed? Eddie Glaude Jr on the US at 250 Jun 24, 2026 40:15 As the US prepares to celebrate 250 years since its founding, Kai Wright sits down with Eddie Glaude Jr, a Princeton University professor, to talk about the conflicts at the heart of the American project. Glaude argues that Black Americans have played a vital role in establishing the country, but their presence is a constant reminder that the American fantasy – the story of a white republic – does

How Iranians are coping with the Iran war Jun 22, 2026 33:43 With negotiations to end the war in Iran now underway, experts widely agree that the Iranian government has the upper hand. But if the regime emerges from the war stronger than before, what does it mean for the people of Iran? Carter Sherman speaks with Shirin Jaafari, a journalist for the World who focuses on the Middle East, about her reporting on Iranians living through war, a devastated econom

The unproven autism treatment taking off under RFK Jr Jun 17, 2026 39:04 Parents of children with autism are turning to a controversial stem cell treatment backed by the US Health Secretary. A growing number of clinics in the US are charging parents tens of thousands of dollars for stem cell therapy, which is being given to children as young as 18 months old. The Guardian’s chief reporter Ed Pilkington tells Kai Wright about his months-long investigation into the provi

What happens when Trump drives you out of the United States? Jun 15, 2026 47:49 A far-right, white supremacist ideology known as “remigration” aims to make life so punishing for immigrants that they leave the US. It’s also the policy of the Trump administration. There’s an "office of remigration" in the state department and the Department of Homeland Security has posted on X in support of it, saying: “The stakes have never been higher and the goal has never been more clear: R

Elon Musk is a trillionaire now. Is that bad for the economy? Jun 12, 2026 36:01 Elon Musk has become the world’s first trillionaire thanks to his company SpaceX, which now has the biggest IPO of all time. Public trading in the company has put it's valuation at over $2tn. The eye-watering sums of money pouring into AI are also boosting other tech titans, including OpenAI and Anthropic. Both companies are expected to go public this year with nearly trillion-dollar valuations. T

How Trump is changing the World Cup Jun 10, 2026 39:09 When the US, Mexico and Canada submitted their winning World Cup bid, they predicted that Donald Trump would not be president in 2026. That prediction didn't exactly pan out – and now, as the tournament begins, Guardian soccer correspondent Jeff Rueter explains how Trump's America is rewriting the rules of the World Cup. Jeff also previews fun teams to watch, while Kai and Carter reveal who they’r

How fighting Amazon made Chris Smalls a celebrity: 'My life changed' Jun 8, 2026 39:01 In 2022, Amazon workers at a fulfillment center in Staten Island made history by voting to form a union. Their leader was fired Amazon worker Chris Smalls, who became something of a celebrity within the labor movement. Smalls left the union amid internal tensions, and has gone on to become a freelance activist since. He speaks with Kai Wright about being arrested while protesting the Jeff Bezos-fu

Knicks v Spurs: the NBA finals a billionaire can’t ruin Jun 5, 2026 37:41 After winning Game 1 of the NBA finals, the New York Knicks are one step closer to winning a championship that has eluded them for 53 years. New Yorkers are feeling elated, but the Knicks are going to have to get through 7ft4in Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, who just might be the next face of the league. Kai Wright speaks with the Guardian’s Andrew Lawrence about who exactly these tea

Robert Reich on how Trump's slush fund loss is an opportunity for Democrats Jun 3, 2026 33:59 This week the bipartisan furor over Donald Trump’s $1.8bn slush fund escalated to the point that the administration balked, saying they are no longer moving forward with it. But Robert Reich, a Guardian columnist and former US secretary of labor, says the fund, and specifically, the additional detail of the settlement giving Trump and his family immunity from future IRS audits, are the essence of

The comedian taking on AI datacenters Jun 1, 2026 35:14 Last summer, Wisconsin comedian Charlie Berens started getting messages from people in his state about plans for a major datacenter in their community. When Berens dug in, he was shocked to discover the impact the datacenter would have on local residents. So he responded with comedy. The video he posted online about the datacenter went viral, and Berens has been on the frontlines of the fight agai

What if Trump invades Cuba? May 29, 2026 39:54 When the US indicted Raúl Castro recently, it was another step in the escalating pressure campaign the Trump administration is conducting against Cuba’s communist government. As Cuba’s president warns of a “bloodbath” if the US engages in military action, how are Cubans coping and what outcome are they hoping for? Host Kai Wright speaks with Mónica Baró Sánchez, a Cuban reporter in exile in Miami,

Are Democrats losing in California? May 27, 2026 39:48 Across California, ballots sit unopened as voters struggle to decide who to back as their chosen candidate for governor. US senior political correspondent Lauren Gambino tells Kai Wright that the race has been a head-scratcher for Democrats. Despite a huge field of candidates, the race has been mired in scandal and few have managed to cut through. What does this say about the future of the Democra

What is Hasan Piker’s dude bro project really about? May 22, 2026 51:23 Soon after Twitch streamer Hasan Piker started campaigning with Democratic candidates this spring, an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal was published with the headline “Democrats are too cozy with Hasan Piker". That triggered a fever pitch of more op-eds and interviews asking Piker to respond to past statements he’s made on Israel's war in Gaza, 9/11, and more. But the controversy surrounding him h

Why the fight over abortion pills is only just beginning May 20, 2026 41:49 The US supreme court has preserved nationwide access to mail-order abortion pills – for now. As Carter Sherman explains, the fight to protect this medication is far from over, as a nationwide, near-total abortion ban could be on the horizon. Carter speaks with Dr Angel Foster, co-founder of the Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, who reveals how the legal battle over abortion pills h

Hantavirus isn’t the next Covid. But here's why we should actually worry May 18, 2026 36:41 All month, people all over the world have been nervously watching as the Hantavirus spread aboard a cruise ship called the MV Hondius. Three people from the ship died and as the virus spread to other passengers, people wondered – is this the next pandemic? It isn't. But as Guardian health correspondent Melody Schreiber tells host Kai Wright, the outbreak revealed how Trump's cuts to

How ICE turned its violent arrest of a US citizen into content May 15, 2026 42:35 In June 2025, Christian Cerna went to a protest in his neighborhood against ICE raids and allegedly punched a border patrol agent. He later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault, but denies that he ever hit the officer. Days after the protest, Christian was violently arrested in front of his family by ICE officers, who filmed the whole operation and later posted it to social media. Christian tells

Stacey Abrams on why the gutting of the Voting Rights Act is 'evil' May 13, 2026 35:03 The US supreme court demolished the 1965 Voting Rights Act when they ruled in Louisiana v Callais last month that states can’t consider race in redistricting. Southern states from Tennessee to Alabama have rushed to erase majority Black districts, sparking chaos for the midterm elections. Kai Wright talks with Stacey Abrams, voting rights activist and former Georgia house minority leader, abo

Coming soon ... Stateside with Kai and Carter Apr 30, 2026 1:10 The news is stressful. Talking about it doesn’t have to be. Join The Guardian’s Kai Wright and Carter Sherman for conversations with the best journalists and biggest thinkers. First episode on 13 May and then episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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